What is the identity verification code?
In August 2025, Companies House announced that there would be new mandatory identity verification requirements, which involve company directors and people with significant control (PSC’s) completing AML checks in order to gain a specific code that you can then use for filing.
The identity verification code is an 11-character code that is given to an individual once they have verified their identity. This code is a personal code that is only for the individual, rather than for the company, unlike the Companies House Authentication Code. You will be required to enter this code when filing your confirmation statement to Companies House from the 18th November 2025 and onwards.
Who needs an identity verification code?
As mentioned, anyone who is the director of a company or a person with significant control of a company (a PSC), will be required to undergo these verification checks in order to gain the code. If you are an existing director or PSC of an already incorporated company, you must complete these checks and gain the code before your next confirmation statement filing, as this is required. However, if you are looking to set up a new company, you must get verified first and provide this code when completing the incorporation application. This is also the case if you are being appointed as a new director of an already existing company, as you must provide this identity verification code in the appointment application as well.
It is important to note that all directors and PSCs will need to complete the identity verification checks for each company role that they hold.
How do you get an identity verification code?
There are two different ways that individuals can verify their identity – either directly with Companies House using their online service, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (or ACSP).
Through Companies House:
You can complete the identity verification checks directly through your GOV.UK One Login, or Companies House WebFiling account. You will need a form of photo ID that you will upload to your account to be checked. You can upload any of the following:
- Biometric passport from any country
- UK photo driving license (full or provisional)
- UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
- UK biometric residence card (BRC)
- UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)
You will also need to provide your current address and the year you moved in, in order to complete the checks. If you do not have any of these forms of photo ID, then you may also be able to verify using you bank details or national insurance number, or in person at an official Post Office. If you are unsure whether you are eligible to complete the checks this way instead, you can log in to your GOV.UK One Login account to find out.
Furthermore, as you will be logged to your One Login account to complete the checks, it means that your verified identity will be connected to this account, along with the email address you used when creating it. If you share this email address or account with other people within your organisation, you will need to create a new account per director or individual, as an email address can only be used once to verify an identity.
Once you have submitted the required information, Companies House will then send your identity verification code to the email address associated to your One Login account.
Through an ACSP:
You can also complete your identity verification through an authorised corporate service provider instead, such as Easy Digital. These are organisations that have the ability to complete the AML checks for you instead of doing them yourself, however, you will still need to provide them with the photo id, and they will send these directly to Companies House for you. The identity verification code will typically then still be sent to your personal email address, after you have been verified, so that you can access it.
Once you have been verified and you have received your identity verification code, you will be able to find it again within your GOV.UK One Login account by logging in and selecting ‘Manage Account’. Alternatively, if you used an ACSP, you will be able to find it in the email that was sent to you once you were verified.
How to use the identity verification code to submit:
So, how do you actually use it? Well, in order to submit the confirmation statement, you will need to physically enter this identity verification code into the form itself before submission. It is important to note that if you are using an agent to file on your behalf, you will still need to provide them with this personal identity verification code which they will need to use.
You can either file the confirmation statement directly through Companies House, using your GOV.UK One Login account, or through an external software provide, such as ourselves.
Filing through Easy Digital:
If you decide to file your confirmation statement through Easy Digital, then there will be a page within the confirmation statement template where you can enter the code. You can follow the steps below on how to file this:
Step 1 - Once logged in and on the ‘Company Filings’ page, please click on the blue ‘Add Filing’ button to add the Confirmation Statement. You can use the product filter on this page to easily find this.
Step 2 - Once added, go ahead and open up the template. Complete the ‘Company Information’ tab by entering your company’s authentication code (the 6-character code), and registered email address. Remember – the identity verification code doesn’t replace the Companies House authentication code, so you will still need to have this at hand in order to submit the confirmation statement.
Most of the other details on this page will be automatically filled in for you, so you can just double check over them to ensure they are correct. To find out more on how to complete this section, please read our article ‘How to file a company Confirmation Statement’.
Step 3 - Click on the ‘Verification Details’ tab to the left. Here you will need to complete your verification statement and enter your identity verification code. The details required include your name, date of birth, verification number, and name and date the filing was approved.
The verification code will be provided in the following format: ABC-DE12-3456, but please ensure that you enter the code without any spaces or ‘-‘ characters within the box itself, as shown.
Step 4 - Now that you’ve completed the template, you are ready to submit! Simply set it as Ready to File, purchase the submission package, and then click on the flashing arrow to submit this to Companies House.
If you find the whole filing process a little overwhelming, why don’t you try one of our managed filing services instead? We offer a managed confirmation statement package, which is where we complete and submit the filing for you instead – just provide us with the identity verification code and we will sort out the rest! Head over to our website ecompany.tax to find out more.
